Red Bull boss Christian Horner, looking to fill the seat vacated by Mark Webber for next season, is known to be a fan of the 2009 champion.

But the 33-year-old insisted he wants to continue his four-year stay at McLaren despite the vacancy at the sport’s top team.

The option rests on their side, not his, to decide if he remains with the Woking outfit for 2014 and beyond.

Speaking after Friday’s first practice in Spa he said: “I think I have a contract for next year, but I don’t think it’s got a signature on it yet.

"I really want to be at McLaren next year. You might think 'well, that’s strange' after this season, but I think this season’s good for us in a way.

“This will be a much stronger team next year but as you say you haven’t heard the confirmation of that yet from the team, and I think you’ll have to wait for that."

Button confirmed the option rests with McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh.

But it is curious that he has let the racer’s contract run down so far, with a little over a week remaining.

If they don’t take it up before the start of September then he is a free agent.

McLaren sources denied Button has a get out clause in his contract on performance terms.

The radical car design has been so abysmal he has finished in the top five just once, ruled out any chance of winning a race this year and has scored just 38 points in the first 10 races – a total he exceeded in the first three Grands Prix of last season.

Speculation over the Englishman’s future was fired by Red Bull’s apparent u-turn on the expected confirmation this weekend of Australian Daniel Ricciardo.

On Thursday in the Spa paddock Horner said there would be no announcement until Monza and early September.

Some observers saw that as Horner buying himself some time to see if Button’s signing does not pan out as planned.

Others believe Horner’s primary target was to let Kimi Raikkonen know that contrary to claims by his manager, Steve Robertson, Red Bull still have a place for the Finn.